The world's state-of-the-art gyroplanes employ tails with larger vertical and horizontal surface that provide exceptional stability making the rotary-winged aircraft much more predictable to fly. Beside adding stabilizing features companies have partially enclosed the cockpit with half-height fuselages making them more user-friendly than past-generation gyrocopters (the industry-preferred term for the older, less desirable models of many years past).

Along with aerodynamic refiinements, SilverLight's American Ranger 1 (or AR1) has improved seating and creature comforts, offers modern instrumentation, and a high level of fit-and-finish quality. All these improvements found a receptive market and Zephyr Hills Airport-based SilverLight is ready to meet the need. Zephyr Hills is located close to Tampa, Florida.

How is it to fly a gyroplane like AR1? The simplest comment is that with only a couple exceptions, you fly a gyroplane very much like a fixed wing. You use the stick and rudders similarly, although not identically. Your fixed wing skills will prove highly transferable to gyroplanes and most pilots will quickly adapt; you won't have to learn many new tricks.

Many pilots have observed that gyroplanes fly successfully in winds not advised for many other aircraft. The reason is that the rotor blades are spinning through the air at 400 mph making a 25-mph crosswind, for example, relatively insignificant. Combined with a higher wing loading, these aircraft are simply not as vulnerable to winds as are most fixed wing aircraft. More flying; less sitting on the ground waiting for the right conditions.

In years past, pilots interested in a modern gyroplane felt they had to consider a foreign product, but no more. SilverLight is contemporary, well-designed and -built, and an all-American design. Top that off with very attractive pricing and you've got a winner in American Ranger 1 (AR1)!

Once upon a time… gyrocopters were an American invention. Igor Benson was such an important pioneer that many fixed wing pilots refer to all such flying machines as “Bensen gyros.” Starting in the 1950s, he hit on a good combination of ideas that made the new sector flourish… for a time.July 22, 2016